This disclosure relates to wireless communication devices and circuitry used therein.
Wireless communication devices typically use power amplifiers to amplify signals prior to over the air transmission. The efficiency of a power amplifier generally impacts the performance of devices such as a mobile phone or a base station. For a mobile phone, a higher efficiency power amplifier can increase battery life. For a base station, a higher efficiency power amplifier can reduce power consumption, which results in lower operating costs. However, in addition to efficiency, the cost of production can also be important.
Digital Power Amplifier (DPA) technology is a promising power amplifier architecture for wireless communication devices that use one or more wireless communication technologies, such as wireless local area network (WLAN) technologies, such as defined in one or more wireless standards, e.g., IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 802.11 standards. Various examples of wireless communication devices include mobile phones, smart phones, wireless routers, wireless hubs, base stations, and access points. In some cases, wireless communication electronics are integrated with data processing equipment such as laptops, personal digital assistants, and desktop computers.